Brisket Bark Question


 
You bring up a good point Kevin. All of the folks that were there have had my Q. This was the third time for brisket though. They all of course have made their own traditional style in the indoor oven etc and like Q Brisket when they get out.

Thing is they never mention bark at all as part of their thing if you will. It's more about the overall texture (tender) and flavor. They especially liked this one and the last two. Nobody mentioned bark at all. Flavor and texture and the sauces they mentioned and asked for some.

So in the end the flavor notes, texture, and bite made everyone happy.

Me? I still wanted to have a bit more crisp/bark - just because. I think it could have been a little better if the sugar and coffee were just a bit more caramelized on the surface.
 
Try less sugar. Switch to white sugar and use less. Add some textural ingredients to the rub as well. Sumac, Allepo and thyme would be a place I'd go. Vary the coffee grind.
 
Thanks for the additional tips. Still eating my way through this briskit/s.

Note these are only my 2nd and 3rd briskets. Never cooked them before this season. And I've been Q'ing for a good 15+ years. Just never got to it.

So far I've used moderately high heat 300-325 deg.

Upon reheating the vac sealed second half of the one I had used at the shore and in less of a rush. I realized something I'll call a little humiliating.

The non fat cap side was fine, softer than if left out of the foil on the heat a bit if I had had the time during the original cook but just fine.

The "mushy" part/issue I mentioned as part of the original post is actually the fat cap side, essentially what was left of the fat. Well heck that get's trimmed off anyway and probably wasted the rub applying it there in the first place.

Lesson learned.

There really isn't any need to "work" it at all unless I really wanted to. Reheated this half in the vac bag and water in the oven for an hour. Sliced fine, trimmed down the fat layer left from the cap - not all that much but soft and loaded with the mushy rub.

Taste is great especially with the some aux jux from the cook then followed with the cherry based sauce from the recipe.

Going to try Kevin's tweaks to the rub next time I do this recipe.

Gotta say I feel pretty successful with my first 3 brisket cooks.

Going to be hard not to keep playing at it now
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The first three were big, heavy whole flats. Going to try a whole packer next time, and wet age it.

The tips on high heat and general tips I read from all the experts over the past here has been extremely helpful.

First 3 attempts I marinated first, might try injecting the next one with ls beef broth just to see what it does.
 
I rarely see crispy bark on brisket when juding KCBS comps. Flavor and texture are much more important to me.

My first brisket had "bark" that was really over done side of brisket from a runaway temp situation. LOL

I have taken to cutting the point of the packer and doing burnt ends as recommended on numerous posts here. I cut the point into 2 or 3 pieces and add more rub to it so I have plenty of surface area for bark on the burnt ends.

Kind of get the best of both worlds--and frankly the crowd goes wild for the burnt ends every time.
 
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